[240906] #Hesai #Waymo #May Mobility

1. Hesai, Westwell to partner on autonomous yard tractors & electric semi trucks

• Hesai is partnering with Westwell to equip its autonomous yard tractors with advanced lidar systems, aiming to enhance the efficiency and safety of port operations.
• The collaboration will see Hesai’s XT32 and AT128 lidars used in Westwell’s autonomous logistics vehicles, providing high-precision operation and reducing carbon emissions.
• Westwell’s autonomous trucks and equipment, which serve over 200 corporate clients in 20 countries, will benefit from Hesai’s multi-sensor fusion technology, ensuring precise operations in complex environments.
• The lidar systems offer ±5 millimeter range precision and include features like dirt detection and self-cleaning, improving reliability and vehicle alignment in rapidly changing, potentially hazardous port conditions.
• Hesai’s lidar technology is also expected to support industrial robotics by enabling accurate positioning, obstacle avoidance, and navigation in challenging environments.

2. NEOLIX’s unmanned delivery vehicles greenlighted for road test in Nanjing

• NEOLIX received the first road test permits for unmanned delivery vehicles in Nanjing, signaling a major expansion in Eastern China.
• Nanjing aims to fully open roads to intelligent connected vehicle testing by 2026, promoting “vehicle-road-cloud integration” technology.
• The city plans to deploy autonomous vehicles in various scenarios to improve logistics efficiency and safety.
• NEOLIX’s X3 autonomous delivery vehicle, with a 500 kg capacity and 100 km range, offers a solution to last-mile delivery challenges in Nanjing.
• The X3 can carry 200-300 parcels per trip, preventing backlogs and enhancing the competitiveness of the logistics system.

3. Waymo Expands Self-Driving Taxi Service Around San Francisco, Los Angeles

• Waymo is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service into more areas of the San Francisco Peninsula and Los Angeles, adding 10 square miles around San Francisco and 16 square miles around LA.
• Riders in Daly City, Broadmoor, Colma, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa Vista, Hollywood, Chinatown, and Westwood can now hail rides through the Waymo One app.
• Waymo, owned by Alphabet, has been operating in San Francisco since 2009 and began fully autonomous rides there in late 2022.
• Waymo handles over 50,000 paid trips weekly across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix using all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles.
• The company has faced some challenges, including collisions, but claims its autonomous system is significantly safer than human drivers.
• Competitor Cruise, owned by GM, faced a suspension in California but resumed testing with human-driven and supervised autonomous vehicles in Texas.

4. May Mobility Champions Codesign In Autonomous Vehicle Disability Access

• May Mobility, an Ann Arbor-based autonomous vehicle company, is focused on a slow and steady approach, prioritizing community codesign and safety over rapid expansion.
• Founded by MIT graduate Edwin Olson, the company keeps human Autonomous Vehicle Operators (AVOs) onboard in most of its operations to build rider confidence and ensure safety, especially for vulnerable communities.
• The company partners closely with local governments to address gaps in public transportation, offering free micro-transit services in underserved areas, unlike revenue-focused competitors like Waymo and Cruise.
• May Mobility emphasizes accessibility, incorporating features like wheelchair ramps and tactile cues, and engages with the disability community through its Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility Advocates group.
• The company’s services are already making a significant impact, particularly in rural areas where accessible transportation options are limited, and it aims to expand the workforce participation of people with disabilities through autonomous vehicle adoption.
• A report from the National Disability Institute suggests that solving transportation barriers could add $1.6 trillion to the U.S. economy by enabling millions of people with disabilities to enter the workforce.

5. Hyundai and Plus: Paving the Way for Autonomous Electric Trucks

• Hyundai Motor Company and Plus have introduced the first Level 4 autonomous hydrogen fuel cell electric truck in the U.S., the XCIENT Fuel Cell, at the ACT Expo.
• The truck is equipped with Plus’s SuperDrive Level 4 autonomous driving technology and is currently undergoing initial testing in the U.S.
• The collaboration aims to prove that hydrogen fuel cell-powered autonomous trucks can enhance road safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Plus’s SuperDrive™ system is already deployed in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, using advanced sensors for 360-degree perception and autonomous driving.